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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources
Updated June 28, 2021
Here are some resources that our librarians have found to be useful.
Learn more at Mass.gov
Recommended Websites
VACCINATION
- Vaccine Appointments in Amherst (at the Bangs Community Center regional site)
Eligible individuals can schedule an appointment - Vaccinations for Homebound Residents (of Amherst and Pelham)
Contact the Amherst Senior Center: 413-259-3060 - Massachusetts Vaccine Site Locator
See also: a map of locations and an unofficial aggregator of available appointments
- Amherst COVID-19 Community Resource Website
A single source of relevant news and information created by the Town - Amherst Phone Line & Email for COVID-19 Concerns
Share your concerns and questions with Town staff: 413-259-2425, email - Free COVID-19 Testing at UMass Amherst
Testing by appointment for asymptomatic* community members at the Mullins Center
* asymptomatic = you don't have COVID-19 symptoms | symptomatic = you do have COVID-19 symptoms
- Symptom Checker from Buoy Health
Statewide tool for assessing your risk for coronavirus - State Senator Jo Comerford's Constituent Guide to COVID-19
An extensive list of resources for businesses and individuals - Hunger & Food Resources for Households
Information about statewide food assistance during the pandemic — from Project Bread - Massachusetts Coronavirus Alerts (by text message)
Text COVIDMA to 888-777 to register for statewide updates - Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Hotline
Call 2-1-1 to ask a question; available 24/7 in English, Spanish, & 150+ languages - Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
Statewide updates — including cases, quarantines, and monitoring and testing sites - Map of Massachusetts Testing Sites
Locate a nearby COVID-19 testing site - Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Map — from MEMA
A map tracking confirmed cases and deaths (by age and county); also, data by hospital - Disaster Distress Helpline
Call 1-800-985-5990 for crisis counseling and support; available 24/7 - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
Information from the U.S. public health agency — including advice for talking with children, tips & resources for managing stress, and much more - Global Map of COVID-19 Cases — from Johns Hopkins University
An interactive map tracking confirmed cases, deaths, and recoveries worldwide
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RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES
- Handhold — from the Massachusetts Dept of Mental Health
A guide to help parents care for their child's mental health and emotional well-being - Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring the Coronavirus
This accessible explainer from NPR is also available in Spanish and in Chinese - Talking with Children about the Coronavirus
Advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
Good advice and helpful videos from PBS; also available in Spanish- Available videos include:
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Germs Go Away with Handwashing
- Sesame Street: The Right Way to Sneeze, with Elmo & Rosita
- Sesame Street: Heroes in Your Neighborhood Song (featuring our very own Town of Amherst EMTs!)
- Sesame Street: A Playlist of Healthy Habits Videos
- Picture Books about the Coronavirus
- Why We Stay Home: Suzie Learns about Coronavirus (PDF) by Samantha Harris & Devon Scott; illustrated by Harriet Rodis
- My Hero is You: How Kids Can Fight COVID-19! (PDF)
- Be a Coronavirus Fighter! by Songju Ma Daemicke & Helen H. Wu
- Handhold — from the Massachusetts Dept of Mental Health
PLEASE NOTE: Information provided by the Jones Library and its librarians has been gathered from a variety of consumer health resources. You may find material that contains information that is different in opinion from that of your health care provider. This information should not be interpreted as medical or professional advice. All medical information should be reviewed with your health care professional for clarification about how this information may or may not apply to your unique clinical situation or overall health.
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Digital Collections & Resources
DIGITAL BOOKS & MEDIA
- OverDrive
Borrow popular eBooks & digital audiobooks for all ages - Kanopy — free access for residents of Amherst
Stream acclaimed indie, foreign, documentary, and classic films – and much more - Digital Magazines from OverDrive
Borrow popular magazines - Tumblebooks — free access with a Jones Library card
Read eBooks for kids – and much more - Classical Music from Naxos — free access with a Jones Library card
Stream a large collection of classical recordings - Jazz from Naxos — free access with a Jones Library card
Stream a large collection of jazz recordings - See also: All digital collections, digital collections for kids, or digital collections for teens
RESEARCH & LEARNING
- ArtistWorks — free access with a Jones Library card
Music & art instruction available via streaming video - Consumer Reports — free access with a Jones Library card
Complete articles and ratings from the popular magazine - Creativebug — free access with a Jones Library card
Arts & crafts video classes taught by design experts and artists - Gale Courses — free access with a Jones Library card
Sign up for a free instructor-led online course - Mango Languages — free access with a Jones Library card
Conversational instruction in over 70 languages - Morningstar & Value Line — free access with a Jones Library card
Comprehensive investment data and analysis of stocks, mutual funds, and more - Ancestry.com — free access with a Jones Library card
Research your genealogy — available from home for a limited time! - Digital Amherst
View our digitized historical collections - Boston Public Library eCard — free to Massachusetts residents
Register and get access to BPL's digital collections and online tools - See also: All learning resources and research tools
PLEASE NOTE: Many of our digital resources require a Jones Library card, as noted. Cards issued by other area libraries will not provide access to these resources. In the case of Kanopy, access is only available to residents of Amherst or to holders of free Boston Public Library eCards.
- OverDrive
Learn more about library services during the pandemic.